Please see today’s Lunch Special, which is about new Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, former Avalanche captain Milan Hejduk, unsigned Avalanche leader Ryan O’Reilly and so on … including Joe Sacco quotes on O’Reilly and Landy’s thoughts about current NHLPA negotiations with league owners.

Here are some leftovers from Tuesday’s press conference announcing Landy as captain.

“I told Gabe this morning, ‘All you need to do is be Gabe Landeskog. That’s all you need to do,’ Sacco said. “He doesn’t need to be anybody he’s not. His natural leadership qualities just come out.”

I’m 100 percent behind that statement. I know there are some critics out there about this move, but you have to know Landy to really appreciate his gifts. He really is a remarkable young man, a guy who oozes with confidence and leadership. I have no doubt that everybody on this team has, or will, embrace this move.

Milan Hejduk is such a professional. He was given the ‘C’ when he was a top-six forward for the team but ended the season as a third- or fourth-line wing. When the upcoming season begins, he likely will be a third- or fourth-line guy, and possibly a healthy scratch at times.

“Seeing what happened last year, I thought it was proper if somebody else be captain,” Hejduk said. “Gabe is a great choice. We’re all behind him. Whatever he needs, the older guys will help him out. I believe he’s going to be here for a long, long time and captain for a long, long time.”

About his time with the ‘C': “It was a great experience and I really enjoyed it. When I’m done and everything is done with my career I can say I was captain. But my role changed a little bit on the team.”

I think it’s cool and I’m happy for Landy. I think there were great options and he was a fine choice.

Beyond that I really don’t care about the captaincy and I think it’s largely a ceremonial role. It’s a sign of respect but really anyone can communicate with the refs (as long as they have some letter on their jersey- which can rotate.) Leadership comes from all over the place.

And while I think there’s merit to suggesting that ROR deserved some consideration because of his admirable work ethic, I agree with the others that have said that it’s not necessarily also a deciding factor. Ryan is going to have no problem finding his role defined as a leader on this team in the coming years. I don’t see it necessary to crown him because he runs stairs after the game. That said I would have been just as satisfied with him being selected as the captain, mostly because, as I said, I don’t put as much importance in the C-bearer as maybe some others do.

Puck Me Up

Couldn’t agree more, man! My only concern or issue with Landy being crowned so soon is the pressure he might endure as a result. He’s very young and I think sometimes people forget that some of these guys are still kids and need more time learning about other important things in life besides hockey so that their leadership becomes meaningful leadership in every sense of the word. Otherwise, I think the kid is too cool in every sense of the word.

I do wish the Avs would show more loyalty to ROR though. He’s another one that I strongly believe has done his job and has done it well consistently since he’s been an Avs player. I just hope the brass do not let this guy get away…especially over a contract that’s not THAT far apart.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.

Chambers covers college and professional hockey for The Denver Post. He has written for the Post since 1994, after dumping his first 9-to-5 office job a couple years out of college. He primarily follows the University of Denver hockey team and helps cover the Avalanche.